Practice Expertise

  • Biotechnology
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Appellate
  • Class Action Litigation

Areas of Practice

  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Appellate
  • Biotechnology
  • Class Action Litigation
  • Complex Commercial Actions
  • Consumer Products
  • False Advertising
  • Food and Beverage
  • Intellectual Property Litigation
  • Life Sciences / Health Care
  • Litigation
  • Media, Entertainment and Sports
  • Patent Litigation
  • Trade Secrets, Trademark, and Copyright ...
  • Trademark and Copyright Litigation
  • View More

Profile

Steve Zalesin is a nationally renowned trial lawyer with extensive experience in false advertising, intellectual property and complex commercial matters. He has successfully tried cases and argued appeals in numerous courts throughout the United States.

For more than 30 years, Mr. Zalesin has represented the nation’s leading consumer products companies in a series of landmark cases that have shaped the laws of false advertising, while helping to preserve and grow the markets for our clients’ products. In the past year he has won dismissal of several high-profile “greenwashing” cases, in which our clients were accused of misrepresenting the environmental impact of their operations. In addition, he has successfully defended multiple clients in putative class actions that alleged that their products contained dangerous contaminants.  Mr. Zalesin is currently defending major beverage, consumer healthcare, household goods, and confectionary companies in litigation over their product labeling and advertising.

In 2016, Mr. Zalesin secured a federal jury verdict for the world’s leading beverage company in a closely-watched dispute over juice labeling. He initially obtained summary judgment dismissing the claims against our client, and successfully defended that ruling before the Ninth Circuit. The U.S. Supreme Court then vacated the Ninth Circuit’s decision and remanded the case for trial. The Los Angeles jury rejected the competitor’s claims in full, returning a verdict in our client’s favor after a six-day trial and less than a day of deliberation. As a result, Mr. Zalesin was named “Litigator of the Week” by The American Lawyer (March 24, 2016).  In 2020, he obtained a noteworthy dismissal of a class action complaint that targeted a leading online petitioning platform and its efforts to promote racial justice following the murder of George Floyd.

The National Law Journal recently named Mr. Zalesin to its 2023 list of “Media & Entertainment Law Trailblazers.” He is also listed in Chambers USA as a leading practitioner in the area of Advertising: Litigation, where he is described as “absolutely terrific.” Clients note, he “is one of the top advertising litigators in the country. He is a very good writer and a very effective oral advocate who is excellent in court. He’s an all-round top lawyer.” Clients praised his “good, calm demeanor as an advocate in the courtroom.”

Mr. Zalesin is listed as “Litigation Star” in Benchmark: America’s Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys. He has been named as a “Client Service All-Star” by The BTI Consulting Group for the past several years. This award recognizes attorneys who “stand above all the others in delivering the absolute best in client service."

Bar Admissions

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit; Second Circuit; Third Circuit; Seventh Circuit; Eighth Circuit; Ninth Circuit; Federal Circuit; D.C. Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Eastern District of Wisconsin; Northern District of Florida
  • New York

Education

  • University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School (J.D., cum laude, 1985)
    • Editor, University of Pennsylvania Law Review
  • Syracuse University (B.S., magna cum laude, 1982)

Areas of Practice

  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Appellate
  • Biotechnology
  • Class Action Litigation
  • Complex Commercial Actions
  • Consumer Products
  • False Advertising
  • Food and Beverage
  • Intellectual Property Litigation
  • Life Sciences / Health Care
  • Litigation
  • Media, Entertainment and Sports
  • Patent Litigation
  • Trade Secrets, Trademark, and Copyright Litigation
  • Trademark and Copyright Litigation

Professional Career


Professional Activities and Experience

HONORS: Named by The National Law Journal in its 2023 list of Media & Entertainment Trailblazers; Recognized by Chambers USA in the area of Advertising; Listed as a "Litigation Star" for New York in Benchmark: America's Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys; Named in Super Lawyers in the area of Intellectual Property Litigation; Recognized as a “Client Service All-Star” by The BTI Consulting Group; Recognized in World Trademark Review 1000



MEMBERSHIPS: Fellow, the American Bar Foundation (2023 – present)




Blogs

Antitrust Update

Antitrust Update Blog is a source of insights, information and analysis on criminal and civil antitrust and competition-related issues. Patterson Belknap’s antitrust lawyers represent clients in antitrust litigation and counseling matters, including those related to pricing, marketing, distribution, franchising, and joint ventures and other strategic alliances. We have significant experience with government civil and criminal/cartel investigations, providing the unique perspectives of former...

Data Security Law Blog

DataSecurityLaw.com is the firm’s resource for the latest news, analysis, and thought leadership in the critical area of privacy and cybersecurity law. Patterson Belknap’s Privacy and Data Security practice provides public and private enterprises, their leadership teams and boards with comprehensive services in this critical area. Our team of experienced litigators, corporate advisors and former federal and state prosecutors advises on a broad range of privacy and data protection matters...

Misbranded

Misbranded is Patterson Belknap’s blog covering false advertising litigation—both consumer class actions and competitor suits—with a particular focus on FDA-regulated products (foods/beverages, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and dietary supplements).

New York Commercial Division Decisions

The blog is a source for insights and developments related to practice in the Commercial Division of the New York State Supreme Court. This blog reviews key developments in the Commercial Division, including important decisions handed down by the Commercial Division and appellate court decisions reviewing Commercial Division decisions. The blog also covers changes and proposed changes to Commercial Division rules and practice, including revisions to the rules since January 2015. The...

NY Patent Decisions Blog

NYPatentDecisionsBlog.com is a source for the latest patent decisions from the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. The blog is authored by Patterson Belknap’s Patent Litigation practice group, whose members are highly experienced trial attorneys with extensive technical knowledge. Many have advanced scientific degrees and industry experience in fields such as communications, electrical and electro-optical technology, semiconductor technology, metallurgical...

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